Oral Surgery: Cranial Nerves Function and Pathway

                                                        Cranial nerves

Twelve nerve pairs, called cranial nerves, project from the brain.

Each nerve has a specific name and is designated by a Roman numeral.

                                            Names of cranial nerves

1. Olfactory nerve

2. Optic nerve

3. Oculomotor nerve

4. Trochlear nerve

5. Trigeminal nerve

6. Abducent nerve

7. Facial nerve

8. Vestibulocochlear nerve

9. Glossopharyngeal nerve

10. Vagus nerve

11. Accessory nerve

12. Hypoglossal nerve

                                                              Classification of cranial nerves

Sensory cranial nerves: contain only afferent (sensory) fibers

              1- Olfactory nerve

              2- Optic nerve

              8- Vestibulocochlear nerve

Motor cranial nerves: contain only efferent (motor) fibers

             3- Oculomotor nerve

             4- Trochlear nerve

             6- Abducent nerve

             11- Accessory nerve

             12- Hypoglossal nerve

Mixed nerves: contain both sensory and motor fibers---

             5- Trigeminal nerve,

             7- Facial nerve,

             9- Glossopharyngeal nerve

             10- Vagus nerve

CN I Olfactory Nerve

CN II Optic Nerve

CN III Oculomotor Nerve

CN IV Trochlear Nerve

CN V Trigeminal Nerve

divisions of the trigeminal nerve

                           ophthalmic nerve (ophthalmic division [V1])

                                         leaves the cranial cavity, and enters the orbit through the superior orbital fissure.

                            maxillary nerve (maxillary division [V2])

                                            leaves the cranial cavity through the foramen rotundum, and enters the pterygopalatine fossa.

                               mandibular nerve (mandibular division [V3]).

                                             leaves the skull through the foramen ovale.

CN VI Abducent Nerve

CN VII Facial Nerve

CN VIII Vestibulo-cochlear Nerve

CN IX Glosso-pharyngeal Nerve

CN X Vagus Nerve

CN XI Accessory Nerve

CN XII Hypoglossal Nerve